I'm from down south, and I'm a young man with plenty of resolve. I don't have any unique info to contribute, but I have plenty of experience in the credit/financial industry, and I've helped a number of people deal with collectors.
So if any of you are facing that, I may help.
Or, if you're using credit cards and want to learn a way to make those cards work for you, we can talk

I don't have any unique info to contribute, but I have plenty of experience in the credit/financial industry, and I've helped a number of people deal with collectors.

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That's useful information, indeed.

So if any of you are facing that, I may help.

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I won't be needing it since I jettisoned credit cards from my life about 15 years ago.

But I occassionally still get some moron who thinks that some bill that was taken care of in the early 1990s is something they can collect on.

Apparently there's a whole lot of misinformation about me on some credit records somewhere.

If I cared about my credit rating (I cannot imagine how I even have one since I never buy anything on credit, but apparently I still must have one buried on some computer files somewhere) I might consider taking the time to correct those records.

Here's what I don't understand about credit...

When somebody discovers that their credit rating has been damaged by misinformation why can't they SUE the credit rating company , and the original source of that disinformation for DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER?

After all, misleading the world about one's credit worthiness seems to me to be the most egregious defamation of character that exists in this CREDIT DRIVEN society.

I know how to handle credit cards. Have one. Pay the balance monthly. The entire balance.

Thanks in Advance.

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Yep.

But here's a moderately amusing story about how they try to screw you. I used to carry a balance through most of college and again through grad school before I paid it all off. I was frequently a little late (less than a week, typically due to procrastination) with my payments, but they never seemed to mind. I was even told that there was a 15 day grace period once. But that all changed as soon as I started using them to get 30 days free borrowings. 1 day late and they're wacking you for $35 in late fees. Funny how that works.

Now I know that many of you NEED credit cards because you use them to rent cars and travel and so forth.

But I am living proof that one can live without them if travel for the business is not part of your life.

I got my first credit card in 1970 and I used them, just as most Americans did back when the rates you paid for borrowing money was reasonable.

But the rates got insane once they changed the laws to allow credit card companies to issue cards ifrom states (Like Nother Dakota) where there was no legal maximum rate of interest allowable. (Most states used to limit the amount of interest charable, ya know?)

By the early 90's, once I got sick and lost my sweet income, I really had no need for those cards since I was no longer traveling for business

So, it is possible and advisable too, to live off the credit-card cycle if one can manage it.

Not simply because you never risk fines and fees and outrageous interest rates, but because when you live in a pay-by-cash economy you really think about your purchases BEFORE you make them.

In other words, you buy less stuff that you don't really need.

Not having credt cards is a really good way of teaching yourself how not to waste money on stuff, folks.

When I see some young kid charging his latte at Starbucks, I want to take him by the lapels and shake some financial sense into him before it's too late!

If you're a working stiff, save your credit rating for those things (like homes and maybe cars) where you really do need to borrow money in order to get what you truly must have.

Now I know that many of you NEED credit cards because you use them to rent cars and travel and so forth.

But I am living proof that one can live without them if travel for the business is not part of your life.

I got my first credit card in 1970 and I used them, just as most Americans did back when the rates you paid for borrowing money was reasonable.

But the rates got insane once they changed the laws to allow credit card companies to issue cards ifrom states (Like Nother Dakota) where there was no legal maximum rate of interest allowable. (Most states used to limit the amount of interest charable, ya know?)

By the early 90's, once I got sick and lost my sweet income, I really had no need for those cards since I was no longer traveling for business

So, it is possible and advisable too, to live off the credit-card cycle if one can manage it.

Not simply because you never risk fines and fees and outrageous interest rates, but because when you live in a pay-by-cash economy you really think about your purchases BEFORE you make them.

In other words, you buy less stuff that you don't really need.

Not having credt cards is a really good way of teaching yourself how not to waste money on stuff, folks.

When I see some young kid charging his latte at Starbucks, I want to take him by the lapels and shake some financial sense into him before it's too late!

If you're a working stiff, save your credit rating for those things (like homes and maybe cars) where you really do need to borrow money in order to get what you truly must have.

Click to expand...

I understand your sentiment, but I can't fully agree. I use my credit card for everything and pay the balance entirely every month. The cash I'm not using during the month sits in a savings account earning 3% interest. As long as you have the discipline to not waste your money, it's better to use the credit card companies for the interest free loan. If not, then I agree with your approach.

Now I know that many of you NEED credit cards because you use them to rent cars and travel and so forth.

But I am living proof that one can live without them if travel for the business is not part of your life.

I got my first credit card in 1970 and I used them, just as most Americans did back when the rates you paid for borrowing money was reasonable.

But the rates got insane once they changed the laws to allow credit card companies to issue cards ifrom states (Like Nother Dakota) where there was no legal maximum rate of interest allowable. (Most states used to limit the amount of interest charable, ya know?)

By the early 90's, once I got sick and lost my sweet income, I really had no need for those cards since I was no longer traveling for business

So, it is possible and advisable too, to live off the credit-card cycle if one can manage it.

Not simply because you never risk fines and fees and outrageous interest rates, but because when you live in a pay-by-cash economy you really think about your purchases BEFORE you make them.

In other words, you buy less stuff that you don't really need.

Not having credt cards is a really good way of teaching yourself how not to waste money on stuff, folks.

When I see some young kid charging his latte at Starbucks, I want to take him by the lapels and shake some financial sense into him before it's too late!

If you're a working stiff, save your credit rating for those things (like homes and maybe cars) where you really do need to borrow money in order to get what you truly must have.

Click to expand...

The last time I used a credit card was about 12 years ago. It was about 10 years ago that I made my last payment for a credit card. I find things to be much cheaper if you don't buy them on credit. i will admit though, i did buy my house with credit, and it isn't paid off yet. The last car I purchased on credit was 6 years ago, my oldest daughter has been driving it since she turned 16. When my youngest daughter turned 18, I bought her a car for cash (I got a little help from her mother, her grandparents and my sister to make that happen).

You are correct editec, one can survive without credit cards, and these days, you can rent an automobile without one, you can book a hotel room without one, etc etc.

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